Card/Riley Conservation & Wildlife Education Center

The Card/Riley Conservation and Wildlife Education Center occupies 5,000 square feet on the ground floor of the Arts, Sciences and Education Commons at Ferris State University, with free admission for anyone who walks in. More than 200 wildlife specimens from 52 countries fill the space, anchored by a Michigan and North American display that alone holds over 90 full-body and head mounts, including moose, elk, caribou, black bear, grizzly bear, polar bear, muskox, gray wolf, and cougar. Ferris alumnus Roger Card donated his personal specimen collection along with funding to build the original center in 2000, and Card has since been recognized by Safari Club International with the World Hunting Award Ring for his work in the field. The center was later renamed to also honor George F. Riley, a Farmington Hills businessman and Navy veteran whose estate gift established the Riley Collection as a permanent part of the museum. Ferris students studying environmental biology, biology education, and elementary education work as docents, leading guided tours that cover adaptation, habitat, and conservation for visiting school groups and families. A Fur Table and Tactile Boxes let younger visitors handle furs and objects directly, since touching the mounted specimens themselves is off limits to protect them. Groups larger than ten are asked to schedule a tour in advance, though smaller groups and individuals can request a guided or self-guided visit at the welcome desk without notice. A meeting room seating 40 people is also available for small professional and community gatherings.